Federal authorities are investigating a state lawmaker's campaign and official finances after news organizations
raised questions of possible double-billing
and improper reimbursement from public dollars over a period of more than four years.

A federal grand jury in New Orleans requested House records of reimbursements since 2009 to Rep.
Joe Harrison
, R-Napoleonville, according to a subpoena signed July 15 and obtained by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and WVUE Fox 8 News.

The subpoena was issued three weeks after the news organizations reported that Harrison charged his campaign more than $25,700 in gas purchases between 2010 and 2013 while also receiving nearly $24,900 in mileage reimbursements from the House, according to public records. The news organizations found no evidence that Harrison repaid any of his campaign's gas expenses.

Harrison confirmed Monday (Sept. 1) that the federal investigation involves the findings of the news report, and said he is cooperating with authorities.

"As a result of an erroneous news report, I was asked to give some information. I'm fully cooperating and I trust the process will resolve this matter," he said in a brief phone interview.

Story by

Manuel Torres
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Lee Zurik
WVUE Fox 8 News

Harrison would not say what was "erroneous" about the news report, which was based on an examination of records from his campaign and the House.

"All the information is being provided," Harrison said, adding that he had not been interviewed by FBI agents.

Asked if he hired an attorney, he said: "We are in the process of looking at that, I did not think that was necessary."

"The federal government is beginning to pay attention to some of the reports that you are presenting about double-dipping," said Ed Chervenak, a University of New Orleans political science professor, said of the Harrison investigation. "Given the fact that there seems to be some impropriety there, the FBI decided to get involved."

The Harrison probe is looking at public payments he received as reimbursements for expenses he claimed as part of his work as a legislator, according to the July subpoena. The document ordered House Clerk Alfred "Butch" Speer to provide to the FBI records since Jan. 1, 2009, "in any way related to reimbursements requested by and payments made to" Harrison.

The records were to be delivered to the FBI's New Orleans office by Aug. 1, the subpoena said.

The records requested cover years in which Harrison also claimed thousands of dollars in gas purchases through his campaign. Reporters reviewing the records found that Harrison's campaign payments for gas and the taxpayer money he received for mileage reimbursements added up to more than $50,600 from 2010 to 2013.

Reporters found numerous instances in which Harrison was reimbursed by the House for travel on the same dates and locations where he paid for gas through his campaign - with no evidence that the House reimbursement was used to repay the campaign.

The House, for example, reimbursed Harrison for travel to Houma on Aug. 10, 2011, the same day in which his campaign paid for gas in Houma.

Harrison told reporters in May that he drives about 50,000 miles per year "easy," mostly for official duties to represent his district, which includes parts of four south Louisiana parishes between Houma and Morgan City and south of Labadeiville.

"You travel with me and tell me how much travel I do," Harrison said then. He said he travels so much that he changes vehicles every two years. When a reporter asked Harrison if all of his travel was for his job as a legislator, Harrison said: "The majority is right now."

He denied in May that the records showed he had double billed for gas, keeping the money instead of reimbursing his campaign.

Driving 50,000 miles in Harrison's district would require him to be on the road an astonishing amount of time. A loop reaching his district's farthest localities - from Harrison's office in Gray to Dulac, Morgan City, Labadeiville and back to Gray - would total only 123 miles. Harrison would have to make that loop 406 times in a year to reach the miles he told reporters he drives.

Records showed that Harrison also had double billed his campaign and taxpayers for the same non-travel-related expenses. His campaign listed a $158.95 purchase at Office Depot on April 6, 2011. House records show he was reimbursed for an Office Depot charge on the same day, and for the same amount. He also double billed a $75 charge at Office Depot in 2013.

Regarding the Office Depot charges, Harrison in May said: "I'm going to talk to my CPA about it. That's why I hired him, so I stay out of trouble."

Back in May, Harrison told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and WVUE Fox 8 News that he would get back to reporters to expand his answers after consulting with his accountant. He never did.